LAND next to a Rossendale primary school has been cleaned up after concerns were raised that rats might become a problem.

Two hit teams' from Rossendale Council spent a day cleaning up the land between St John and St Michael Primary School, and the houses on Moss Side Street in Shawforth.

Catherine Taylor of the council's neighbourhood environmental action (NEAT) team said: "The land had become very heavily littered and had a build up of leaves on it. The land had also attracted some fly tipping.

"It had become a concern that the land may have attracted rats to the area so we were keen to clean it up as soon as possible".

The two NEAT teams removed leaves, litter and fly tipping to improve the environment for the schoolchildren and residents.